Hong Kong: Health Department monitoring 10 new HCW MERS cases in UAE

The Department of Health (DH) is today (April 16) closely monitoring a cluster of 10 additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the United Arab Emirates.

According to the WHO, they are all healthcare workers (HCWs) in Abu Dhabi and were identified following contact tracing of a previously confirmed patient from Abu Dhabi who died on April 10. All of them are now in stable condition. They include:

* A woman aged 37 with no reported underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 9 with mild illness;

* A man aged 41 with no underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 9;

* A woman aged 43 with underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 9 with mild illness;

* A man aged 33 with no underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 9 with mild illness;

* A man aged 46 with underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 9 with mild illness;

* A man aged 48 with underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 9 with pneumonia symptoms;

* A man aged 37 with no underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 9 with mild illness;

* An asymptomatic man aged 43 with no underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 10;

* An asymptomatic man aged 27 with underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 10; and

* An asymptomatic man aged 43 with no underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 10.

Their family and healthcare contacts are now being followed up.

This brings the latest global number of confirmed cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome to 238, including 92 deaths.

The Department of Health (DH) is today (April 16) closely monitoring a cluster of 10 additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the United Arab Emirates.

According to the WHO, they are all healthcare workers (HCWs) in Abu Dhabi and were identified following contact tracing of a previously confirmed patient from Abu Dhabi who died on April 10. All of them are now in stable condition. They include:

* A woman aged 37 with no reported underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 9 with mild illness;

* A man aged 41 with no underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 9;

* A woman aged 43 with underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 9 with mild illness;

* A man aged 33 with no underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 9 with mild illness;

* A man aged 46 with underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 9 with mild illness;

* A man aged 48 with underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 9 with pneumonia symptoms;

* A man aged 37 with no underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 9 with mild illness;

* An asymptomatic man aged 43 with no underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 10;

* An asymptomatic man aged 27 with underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 10; and

* An asymptomatic man aged 43 with no underlying illnesses who was hospitalised on April 10.

Their family and healthcare contacts are now being followed up.

This brings the latest global number of confirmed cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome to 238, including 92 deaths.